The flame haired girl approached the place. It was a devastated plane of rock and flame, where it had appeared there had once been roads and houses. She was there to find one thing, and one thing only. A goddamn case of root beer. "I've been craving something... fizzy. I'll be damned if I ain't gonna get it too."

A small girl, looking no more than ten walked up next to her. "So you chose an apocalyptic wasteland that only might have what you're looking for to search through? Why are we here, love? I don't understand." The small girl set her hand to her forehead and shook her head. With a sigh, she threw her hands to the air. "Well, I'm sticking with you anyway so, hell. Let's do this, you idiot."

...and with that, the flame haired girl and her vampire companion were off, traveling in search of wrecked convenience stores and grocery stores. It wasn't long until they found a store. Granted, the store was a wrecked gas station that had burned down due to the gasoline, but there would still be some stuff safe on the inside, right?

"I'm not going in there. You're not going in there. Neither of us are going in there." The smaller one spoke sternly.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" The fiery girl teased.

"It died off with my humanity."

"Well, as a human myself, I feel a sense of duty to give it back to you."

"Of course you do..."

Both girls dug around the rubble and entered the store. Though only a modest mini-mart in it's life, serving only travelers and the occasional local, the place was a shell of what it once had been. A place that had once served horrible food in plastic bags and a wall of drinks now serves mice and insects as a home. Plants have even begun their assertion of dominance upon the rubble.

"You really think we're gonna find what we're looking for here, Al?"

"No."

"WHY ARE WE HERE THEN?"

"Because."

"BECAUSE WHAT?"

"..."

"Al?"

"..."

"Al-Al?"

"..."

"Althea!"

"Elizabeth!"

"Don't scare me like that, you weren't responding and I can't see you over this counter."

"Oh."

Althea proceeded to walk over to the little vampire and hold her hand.

"What's this for?"

"So you don't lose me again."

"Oh."

Elizabeth kicked a can. The can gave a surprising amount of resistance. It was full. She pointed to it.

"That there. It's full. Can we leave now?"

Althea picked up the can and opened it. She poured a bit on the ground. Well, she tried to pour it. It came out of the can as more of a gelatinous substance, moving slowly and strangely.

"That looks dangerous."

"Guess we can't leave..."

"Not until we find a full, safe can of pop."

Elizabeth sighed and shrugged.

They ducked through a hole in a wall, or well, Althea was the only one that had to duck, and they exited the dead store.

"More miles ahead of us."

"Of course there are. Couldn't you just bring a vehicle or something?"

"You can drive?"

"No! Can't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you get to the ship and get us a car or motorcycle or bike?"

"Because."

"...Because what?"

"I can just beam one down right here."

"Since when?"

"Since I started lying to you."

"And when was that?"

"The part where I told you I could beam down a vehicle."

Elizabeth sighed again, a bit more annoyed this time.

"Think anyone still lives on this planet?"

"For sure."

"How are you so sure?"

"You can't hear it yet, but I hear gunshots."

"Which direction?"

"The one we're walking in."

"About how many people?"

"About forty."

"That many?"

"Maybe."

"Oh."

The day turned to dusk. The gunfight was over by the time Althea and Elizabeth arrived. The victors raised their arms at Althea and Elizabeth on sight. Elizabeth appeared ready to lash out but Althea stopped her with a simple hand on her shoulder.

"I'll do the talking."

"Ok, fine, but if they shoot..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Althea placed her gun on the floor slowly and raised her hands in the air.

"We don't want a fight. Just in search of safety." And cola.

"Where do you hail from?"

"Down the road a bit." Which doesn't have cola.

"Where do you hail from?"

"We came from that road there." Althea pointed. "We mean no harm, and we're useful." Do you have cola?

"You hail from Newgandis?"

"I guess?" Doesn't seem like you have cola...

"Welcome, friends!" Laughter and smiles erupted from the armed crowd.

Althea and Elizabeth were both very confused, but neither would question it. They followed the soldiers to their base. Well, they weren't really soldiers. More like people who were forced to fight. Survivors.

Althea asked about the gunfight back there. "Oh, that? Just some rebel scum attacking us where they think we're weak."

So they have government. Lovely.

Elizabeth asked a few questions about the government. An organization to restore the planet, Blueside, it was called.

"Blueside, huh... Say, why are the rebels so opposed to Blueside if Blueside is trying to help?"

"Some people like the living like this. They can be filth and revel in it without consequence."

"Yeah, those types do exist, don't they?" Elizabeth thought back on a couple memories, then dispelled them just as quickly.

Then, finally, the question came.

"Say, have any pop to drink?"

"As in soda?"

"Whatever you call it here."

"Yeah, I suppose we do. Why?"

"Can I have some?"

"Thirsty?"

"Yeah."

"Water is better for that."

"I know, but I've been craving some soda lately." Hell yeah! They have cola! Finally!

Elizabeth pulled Althea to a corner for some semblance of a private conversation. "Something's weird here. Can we leave? You got your drink."

"Maybe the post-apocalypse government fighting the rebels claiming the rebels are filth when I saw the bodies of women and children? Also, that cola was shitty store brand, no. I need better fizzy-drink!"

"H-how do you say that so calmly?" Ok, really with the Cola Al-Al?

"Says the vampire who has seen more death."

"It's exactly because I've seen more death that I say this."

"We've been together a while. You should be able to tell, I'm anything but calm." Althea's voice betrayed the statement. She sounded perfectly calm.

Her face was twisted into one of such disgust and hatred Elizabeth feared her for the moment. It wasn't her face that scared her though. It was Althea's eyes. The eyes that burned with a hatred so strong it could become a sun for a solar system.

"We don't know the full story. The Blueside could still be correct."

"Yeah, because executing mothers that were just guarding their children then executing the children is exterminating vile vermin."

"...Fair point."

"You said based on the gunshots that there were about forty people, right?"

Althea and Elizabeth moved away from the corner. The soldiers had, politely enough, allowed them the space to talk without intervention. A Soldier proceeded to speak with them. Althea put on a not I'm-going-to-kill-you-and-everything-you-stand-for face.

"Want a place to stay the night? Dangerous out there."

"No, thanks. We'll be fine."

"No, no, I insist."

"I said no. We thank you for your hospitality, but we wish to be on our way."

"Truly, I implore you to stay with us, just for the night."

"We don't have a choice do we?"

"No." Elizabeth spoke up before the soldier could reply. "We probably don't."

Althea shot back, easily disabling the guards who shot at them. There were only four guards, after all, and they weren't very far away.

"So, that about cover our collective asses?"

"Yeah, that about does it."

"Really? That was it? Four guards that were easily stopped and some loud noises?"

"Did you kill them?"

"No."

"Keep running."

"I haven't stopped yet."

"Good, because they'll offer chase and be here soon."

"How? We're far ahead of them and I didn't notice any signs of vehicles."

"Because they're not entirely human."

"This is the last time I let you choose the planet we go to, Al."

"What? It isn't that bad!"

Althea was shot through the back just after saying that. The wound went all the way through her body. The hole itself was in her right side just below the ribs.

"UNIVERSE! YOUR SICK IRONY IS NOT LOST ON ME. FUCK OFF."

Althea collapsed and Elizabeth rushed to her side. The woman with them went goddamn commando and shot the guards dead.

"Why didn't you do that before now?"

"They weren't close enough before."

"Are you blind?"

"Nearly."

"Oh."

Althea was losing blood at a steady rate. It looked pretty bad. "Alright Bethy, you know what to do."

"Of course it comes to this..."

"Comes to what?"

"Don't freak out and shoot me, yeah? There is a reason for this."

Elizabeth bit Althea's neck and gave her the virus of vampirism. When Elizabeth removed herself from Althea, she was crying. This was the last thing she wanted to do to anybody, being infected by the same thing at age ten.

"Thanks, Elizabeth."

"I'm sorry, Althea."

"Don't worry about it. I'll take responsibility for this somehow."

Althea would survive, for now...

"Wait, wait wait. If they aren't entirely human and have super speed and other such bullshit, how did we even get this far?"

"They aren't very smart."

"If they lack basic formations, how do they even exist? Better weapons and abilities, right. Why haven't they fixed brains then? Made them smarter."

"They tried. It kinda didn't work well. Lets just say they're dangerous if crazed. Or their brains hit the walls."

"Well... This is new..." Mary spoke to no one in particular. Her voice was as shaky as her body. For some odd reason, the weight and darkness of dread washed over her and sat in her belly. She had recalled where she had fallen asleep, which was in her room on her bed, or on her sister's bed. She wasn't sure and it didn't really matter anyway. The main part is she was home then. Now she's not.

The surrounding area was strange. Less of off-the-walls bonkers strange, more like it's just a place Mary had never seen before. She got up and walked from the alleyway she had been lying in. She looked back to the wall she had rested on just for a moment then walked out.

People. There were people here. All kinds of people. Short, tall, big, small. Mary looked down to her own attire and frowned. Still in uniform... At least that hasn't changed.

She asked a few people where she was and how she got here and got little variation in answer. "This is Radiant Garden. As for how you got here, couldn't tell you. Shouldn't you know?" Often, the answer was something to that effect.

After what had felt like hours, Mary took a moment to calm herself. Running around asking the same question to countless people only to get the same answer had taken a lot out of her, both emotionally and physically. She laughed at the spot she chose to calm herself and catch her breath.

"What type of irony is this?" She said, sounding sarcastic and bitter. She had taken refuge at a diner where maid dresses were in use. She laughed more, in a bitter laugh. She was served a glass of water without asking.

"It's on the house, just so you know. Order something small to eat, you look like you could use something." A woman spoke to her in a deep voice. "You're all worn out, ain't ya..."

"Mary. My name is Mary."

"Mary, huh? Cute dress. Ears too. Maybe I should add them to our wardrobe for special occasions..."

"I've learned that Neko-Mimi Mondays work."

"Neko... what?"

"Cat ear Mondays."

"Oh. Either way, order up."

"In that case I'll hav-" A plate with steak and mashed potatoes with gravy and a glass of green tea were placed at her table. "I'll have this, I guess."

"Eat up, it's free."

"Shame my appetite isn't the same."

"Not feelin' like eatin'?"

"Well, when you're thrown into an unknown place for seemingly no reason with no lifeline or point of contact with your family nor any recollection of where you possibly could be..."

"Newbie then."

"What?" Mary spoke as she wolfed down the food, to spite her appetite.

"New interference."

"Pardon me, what?"

"You've been sucked into the world of video games, girl. Sounds mad, doesn't it?"

"It does. You're mad, aren't you?"

"Perfectly sane. One of my best waitresses was an interference. Told me a bit more about what they were and how it worked."

"That's bull."

"No, that's beef."

"What?"

"On your plate." A hearty laugh.

Mary sighed and finished the beef and potatoes on her plate, then swiftly downed the tea.

"Now it's in my stomach."

"Aye. You have a place to stay?"

"No. I was planning to wonder around until I passed out."

"I have some space in my house if you'd like. It isn't much, nor is it very furnished, but it's better then sleeping on the ground outside."

"What is it, a closet?"

"Yes. A large closet, but still a closet. Carpeted too."

"If I have blankets and a pillow, I'll manage."

"Good to hear."

After the hours were over for the diner were over, the chef and owner led Mary to her home.

"Say, you think me crazy, right?"

"I'm afraid so."

"The hell is going through your mind then, coming to rest at my house?"

Mary laughed shortly and a tear streamed down from her right eye. "Well... that's an easy question. Crazy or no, the food you cooked was good."

"You're damn right it was."

Mary entered the house and was shown to the place she was to sleep. The friendly but crazy woman gave her three pillows and a couple of blankets. "Make yourself at home."

"Home huh?"

The woman left Mary to herself. Mary silently cried the night away. The next morning, Mary had saw the light shining through the cracks in the closet doors. She wiped her face of tears and folded the blankets into neat rectangles. She proceeded to exit the closet and find the exit to the house. The cook was awake, talking to herself in the kitchen. Mary assumed she was making breakfast. Though she was hungry, Mary found herself exiting the house without so much as a word spoken.